In Sickness
by Master thief Gray Shadow
Summary: Nozomi has come down with a cold. Luckily Nico knows just how to treat it.


Pain. That was the only thing Nozomi could feel. Her body screamed with a dull ache that reverberated through each and every one of her cells. She tried to breathe deeply to help her relax, but something blocked her airway, forcing her to take a shallow and much less satisfying breath through her mouth instead. She reached out, grabbing blindly until she finally found the box of tissues, pulling it toward her. She took one and blew into it, feeling relief as her nose cleared and disgust at the thought of what just came out of it. Tossing the abused tissue off the bed and hopefully into the wastebasket she rolled over, coughing weakly into her pillow. She closed her eyes in attempt to fall back asleep, but she could not. The pain kept her awake. She lay there, slowly feeling her breathing get shallower by the moment as god knows what built up in her throat. She reached for another tissue, trying to ignore the rapid pounding in her head.

Wait. That wasn't in her head…was someone at the door?

Nozomi stilled for a moment, even her shallow breathing was halted as she listened. Indeed, the pounding was coming from the direction of the apartment door. Who was it? She tried to get up, but ache coursed through her limbs as she attempted to rise and she ended up falling back onto the bed, figuring she probably didn't have the energy to get out anyway. The pounding on the door then stopped for a brief moment, and soon Nozomi heard the sound of the door being opened. Who the hell just waltzed into her apartment? There were two possibilities, since only two people knew where she kept her spare key, and Eli was always polite enough to wait to be let in, so that just left…

"Oi, Nozomi! Are you dead?"

Nico. A small smile tugged at Nozomi's lips. She hadn't really had any human contact today (talking to the person on the other end of the phone when she had called in sick from school didn't count), so to hear the voice of her girlfriend here, in her home, lit a few embers of happiness that had been dull all day. She tried to call out, but instead she coughed loudly, entering yet another fit that wracked her body. She just barely glimpsed Nico sliding open her bedroom door as she buried her face in her pillow again.

"Wow, you look awful," Nico said as she walked over to Nozomi's bedside and knelt down. Nozomi lifted her head to look at Nico, to observe her features as they twisted with concern. She smiled weakly.

"Hey there, Nicocchi," She said in a hoarse, quiet voice. "I really missed ya today."

"Don't talk," Nico responded as she placed the back of her hand against Nozomi's damp forehead. "Just relax. You really need to rest." A moment passed between them, Nozomi relishing the feeling of Nico's cool hand against her burning skin. She almost whined when Nico pulled away. "You're burning up," She said as she fished around in her bag before taking out a small object and sticking it in Nozomi's mouth. It took her a moment to realize that it was a thermometer.

They sat there in silence for a few moments before Nico removed the thermometer and carefully examined it. "Seems you're running a small fever," She said as she wiped the thermometer with a wet wipe.

"I felt a lot worse this morning, if it makes ya feel any better," Nozomi replied quietly.

"That probably means you're healing. You should feel better tomorrow." Nico got up and looked down at Nozomi, taking in her disheveled appearance. Messy hair, flushed skin, and dark circles. It was really unbecoming for someone as beautiful as Nozomi. "I'm guessing you haven't eaten today," She said.

At the mention of food Nozomi's stomach growled audibly. There was a silence between the two, with Nozomi's face somehow getting even redder. Nico chuckled a little. "Alright," She said as she headed toward the door, "you just stay there and rest. Let Super Idol Nico-Nii whip up something that'll have you up and about in no time!" With her signature gesture, Nico closed the door, leaving her alone in her room again. Nozomi smiled. She almost felt like she could get up again, the dull ache in her bones almost seemed gone, but she realized that she was also too exhausted to do anything. She closed her eyes and began to drift off.

"Hey Nozomi. Wake up, you need to eat." Nico's voice. Nozomi continued to lay still for a moment, Nico gently poking her forehead. "You can sleep later!" Nico said in exasperation. "Aren't you hungry?" Nozomi opened her eyes slowly. Nico sat by her bed, a bowl of soup in her hand. Groaning, Nozomi forced herself to sit up, wincing as her sore muscles popped as they were used for the first time today.

"Mhm…Hey Niccochi," She said, rubbing her eyes. "Whatcha got for me?"

"This is Nico-Nii's special cure-all miso," Nico said, taking the spoon from the bowl and dipping it into the broth. She held out the spoonful of broth toward Nozomi's face. "Here. Eat."

Nozomi slowly leaned forward and allowed Nico to push the spoon past her lips. She could only taste the salt in the broth, its more complex flavors undetectable by her stuffed-up nose, but the but she could feel its warmth as she swallowed. It wasn't like the burning heat that had tormented her all day, it was more like the warmth of a kotatsu or bonfire, it spread throughout her entire body and soothed her aching muscles. She gave a tired smile. "It's delicious, Nicocchi," She said honestly.

"Good, because you're going to eat all of it," Nico said as she held out another spoonful. Nozomi eagerly took it, swallowing the broth with a satisfied sigh. They repeated this a few more times, before Nozomi spoke up.

"Where'd ya learn to make soup like this, anyway?" She asked.

Nico smiled wistfully. "Cold season always hit our house pretty hard," She said as she fed Nozomi another spoonful. "When I was younger I'd always get really sick around this time, so Mama would always make soup for me." Nico place the now empty bowl down on a dresser. "I stopped getting sick like that around the time Papa died, and that's when Cocoro and Cocoa started getting sick instead." Nico closed her eyes and leaned back. "I wanted to help take care of them, so I helped Mama make the soup and I eventually figured out how to do it myself."

"Nicocchi's such a good big sister," Nozomi said with the biggest smile she had managed today. She stretched out her arms toward her girlfriend invitingly. "C'mere so I give ya a thank-you kiss."

Nico leaned away from Nozomi suddenly. "Hell no," She said, standing up and grabbing the empty soup bowl off the dresser. "Nozomi, I love you to death, but I really do not want your cold." With that, she walked out of the room to put away the dirty dishes. Nozomi lied back down and smiled blissfully, finally feeling sleep starting to tug at her consciousness again. Shortly after, Nico reentered the room, sitting next to Nozomi's bed and gently stroking her hair.

"Hey Nicocchi," Nozomi said sleepily.

"Hm?"

"Thank you." And with that, she closed her eyes, drifting off into a deep and peaceful sleep.

* * *

Speaking from experience, the trick to overcoming a cold is to eat something that has specifically been made for you, something that someone has put time, love, and the will to make you feel better into. Nozomi's very lucky to have a girlfriend who understands that.


End file.
